


Drowning in Insulin

by FlangstPrince



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Diabetes, Disabled Character, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Platonic Relationships, mentions of needles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 01:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21667975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlangstPrince/pseuds/FlangstPrince
Summary: The light of the surface faded as Kai sunk deeper and deeper, it felt like an eternity as his thoughts blurred away, and his lungs gave into the need for oxygen, only inhaling more of the deadly liquid.This was it, everything felt so wrong, he was so... confused, what was, happening…?Why Kai seemed so suddenly afraid of water.Takes place between season two and three.
Relationships: Kai & Nya (Ninjago), Lloyd Garmadon & Kai, Lord Garmadon & Kai
Comments: 5
Kudos: 79





	Drowning in Insulin

Kai didn’t think much of it when it began.

It was not long after Lloyd had defeated the Overlord, everyone had gone back to their respective homes for the summer, not looking forward to the fall when Wu wanted to become teachers for some reason. He’d no clue as to why. (Though he’d overheard Wu telling his brother that he didn’t trust them on their own,whatever that meant.)

Personally Kai thought it was a stupid idea to put a bunch of 14-15 year olds in charge of a bunch of children, wouldn’t being something like camp counselors work better anyhow?

Jay had gone home to his parents’ junkyard, Cole to visit his dad, and Zane was taking care of his father who had fallen ill.

Though Kai and Nya had nowhere to go really, the blacksmiths shop felt as if it were full of ghosts to them. It was hard to exist in the dreary space, so they had found themselves quickly accepted into the Garmadon monastery.

Kai stretched out and took a sip of his soda, happy that he was able to watch anime on the BIG SCREEN which he couldn’t when other people were home. The Garmadons had gone out for a night together and Nya was visiting her Samurai cave, so he had the place all to himself.

Slices of pizza disappeared as time passed by, and soda was long slurped down to the very bottom of the can when Kai noticed something off.

He had to use the restroom.

That was strange as he had recently gone. 

Though it recurred frequently as the night went on, he couldn’t get through one half hour episode. Though, surprisingly once everyone returned he felt just fine. He left it alone, the question as to what it was tossed away into unimportant things.

It wasn't until a couple weeks later something else happened.

Lloyd and his father were having a father-son day and urged Kai to join them, at first Kai declined as he didn't want to intrude, but Garmadon himself insisted so he joined them.

The trio went out for ice cream, and Kai and Lloyd were all about it. The place had specialty flavors that could be found nowhere else, and it was all made in store. Kai admittedly, had quite the big sundae but still had room for dinner which they had gotten across the street.

Kai asked the waitress for a rootbeer, which the woman returned with, placing it in front of Garmadon, causing Kai to correct her, saying it was for him. 

It was drinken as the meal continued on, and Kai suddenly felt overwhelmed. The words being said at the table felt like background conversation, the world seemed to spin a bit as he excused himself to go to the car so he could clear his head.

By the time Lloyd and his father had gotten there, Kai was very confused and slurring his speech. He was quickly rushed to the hospital. Though once Misako, Nya, and Wu arrived it was speculated that the rootbeer was alcoholic as the woman had given it to the older man first, and Kai was just a really big lightweight.

That possibility made sense as Kai was hysterically sobbing to the nurse about the shiny charmander he’d caught in Pokemon Go earlier that day.

However the doctors ruled out the possibility and claimed it was a panic attack. Kai was given medication for it and sent home once he stopped slurring his speech.

Then began the water.

SO MUCH WATER.

Kai went through about a case of it a day. Mountains of water bottles could be found in his room. The strangest thing about it was that he was just so damn thirsty for seemingly no reason. The only thing that could quench his thirst was if he drank ice cold water, otherwise he would still feel thirsty afterwards.

And after the thirst he would have to use the bathroom.

Then he was thirsty again.

Bathroom.

Thirst.

_ Bathroom. _

_ Thirst _

**_BATHROOM._ **

**_THIRST._ **

The pattern waking the fire elemental up in the middle of the night even.

He had talked to Misako about it who had noticed him getting up a lot at night, and she had suggested it must be because he is drinking water due to the heat of the summer.

Quite unhelpful of her really.

Though at least he was losing a lot of weight so he must have been getting healthier.nKai did his best to ignore it and live his life as normal.

Then the day at the lake came.

The ninja reunited with each other as everyone met up for a day at a lake nearby. Other families crowded around the edges of the lake as well, having picnics while cooling down from the summer sun.

Kai was having fun, playing chicken with the guys. Zane who had drastically misunderstood the game made clucking sounds the entire time he was upon Cole’s shoulders, causing the earth ninja to completely lose his composure and laugh till Zane was tossed into the water.

Upon being told that’s not how to play, he asked if he needed to play a more aggressive chicken noise. Everyone lost it at the most horrible noise they’d ever heard coming out of the ice ninja.

Kai, Nya, and Lloyd were roughhousing, playing King of the Hill on a dock that swayed as they tackled each other. With each round, Kai felt more and more tired, and oh so very hungry. Maybe they should stop for lunch…

Before he could suggest it he saw it, a toddler reaching a bit too far out of a rowboat, their parent looking backwards, away as they rowed.

The child fell into the water. 

Kai’s body moved before his mind. He felt himself shaking all over as he lugged the child up to surface. The toddler was pulled up out of the water to his relief, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to be able to move upwards any more. The water was all around him,it was too heavy, dragging him down. He couldn’t make it.

The light of the surface faded as Kai sunk deeper and deeper, it felt like an eternity as his thoughts blurred away, and his lungs gave into the need for oxygen, only inhaling more of the deadly liquid.

This was it, everything felt so wrong, he was so... confused, what was, happening…?

He didn’t register when he was pulled out of the water by his younger brother, nor when his sister yelled his name.

But when the water was forcefully coughed out of his lungs, he did hear something.

“Kai, Kai! Can you hear me?!” 

Garmadons voice. 

No. no no _no no no_ **_nononONO.”_**

He was vulnerable, Lord Garmadon could kill him, he whirled his head around but his eyes wouldn't focus. He still felt like he couldn't breathe, though the liquid of death was long removed from his lungs.

He felt so confused, he was so afraid, he felt his consciousness slipping away.

“Kai! Hang in there!”

Was that Nya? His little sister? Why was she here?

Other voices appeared but they quickly blurred together, Kai couldn’t make anything out anymore as his head rushed and he fell into unconsciousness.

He woke up to the sound of a heart monitor beeping steadily. He felt like he could breathe again.

His head felt much more clear, but he also felt really REALLY sick to his stomach. The nausea overtook him all at once and he held his stomach in discomfort.

“Kai!” Lloyd was in the doorway with his sister and Garmadon. A woman in a doctor's coat followed them in.

“Sorry about the nausea, the glucagon will do that to you.”   
  
“Glucagon?” he uttered, blinking in thought.

“You have got a classic case of type one diabetes Kai.” the doctor explained.

“W-what? I didn’t think my diet was that unbalanced-” 

“Seems you have some misconceptions about diabetes.” The doctor took out a clipboard, “Your body creates something called insulin, it counteract the sugar in your blood, making it so you never have too much or too little sugar in your blood. This is created by you pancreas.You are thinking of type two diabetes, in which your body becomes resistant to the insulin your body creates.”

“Oh, then what do I have?” Kai blinked.

“Type one, in short terms your pancreas is dead, it no longer makes insulin, so you need to regulate that yourself b injections when you eat or when your sugar gets high.”

“Oh..” Kai trailed off, “Can I not eat sugar anymore?”

“You most definitely can Kai.” the doctor smiled, “Though you need to know the nutritional information before you eat it so you can take insulin. In fact, you may need more sugar at times if your blood sugar gets low, like it did today.”

“All that exercise is troublesome without a pancreas, huh.” Nya offered her brother a warm smile.

Kai was given everything he needed for his diagnosis and he reflected back on everything, it made a lot of sense. Frequent bathroom breaks, lots of water, delirium after sugar, drastic weight loss… all symptoms of diabetes.

A few days later he was back home and feeling much better, physically at least. He had stayed inside since he had returned, and there were no showers, only the occasional hair wash in the sink.

He couldn’t get that wet again…

Both Nya and Lloyd had noticed something off, and they had tried to talk to him, though it didn’t wield many results.

Then Garmadon had asked him to help him grab groceries. Kai agreed, though didn't realize that it would be pouring rain by the time they exited the store.

Kai pulled his hoodie over him tight, he was okay, he was just fine, he had to be. They were almost to the car almost there. So close…

Then the truck drove by. 

Kai was soaked in filthy water.

Groceries spilled to the ground and Kai couldn’t breathe anymore.

When Kai came back to reality he was warm, but still damp, with a large fluffy towel on his head.

Garmadon was sitting at a table nearby. He was back at the monastery. A warm cup of tea was handed to him.

“You need to shower.” Garmadon mentioned quietly.

“I know...:” Kai half responded, hugging his knees.

“I know how the water affects you Kai, do you need to talk about it?” Garmadon’s eyes were warm and caring.

“I’m o-okay, I don’t want-wa-” Kai teared up.

The fifteen year old fell into open arms sobbing, for everything that had changed, and for what could never be the same again.

Once Kai’s breathing steadied a bit more, a warm cup of tea was given to him to sip. “Don’t worry, its sugar free.”

“You know, I don’t remember much of the lake after I dove in… but I do remember one thing.”

“Oh?” Garmadon turned towards him.

“When I first was dragged out I could only make one voice out… yours. And I, I was afraid.” he clenched his fist. “My brain was so confused that it thought you were still your old self. I feel so, guilty for that.”

Garmadon hummed, “Lack of oxygen will do that…”

“But, you’ve been nothing but kind to me, and you have done so much and even given my sister and I a home even though we aren’t family, and yet my mind still went straight to that I-”

“Kai,” Brown eyes met faded red, no longer glowing. “You are family.”

“I, what?”

“I’ve considered both you and your sister to be family from the start.”

“What could we have done to dese-”

“Oh Kai.” A hand rested upon his head, “You don’t need to do anything to deserve love. And even so you have treated my son as your own, it’s only reasonable to do the same. You and Nya to me are like my own children.”

Kai hugged the reformed man, tears falling, “Thanks… dad.”

“Of course.” Garmadon chuckled, “Now lets get you properly showered with good water.”   
  
“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> DAMN I havent written ninjago fic since I was FOURTEEN. Partly based off my own experience with type one diabetes diagnosis!


End file.
